Clothes wringer control mechanism of the instinctive release type



July 17, 1951 Filed Dec. 24, 1948 5. l. GABRIELSON CLOTHES WRINGER CONTROL MECHANISM OF THE INSTINCTIVE RELEASE TYPE Inventor. Samuei I Gab nelsam by HasAtborn y.

Patented July 17, I951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CLOTHES CONTROL MECHANISM OF 'IH E-INSTINGTIVE RELEASE 'ILYP-E Samuel I. Gabriel son, Southport, Conn, assignor toGeneral Electric Company, a corporation of I New York Application December 24, 19 18,v Serial No.- 67 ,213:

(C1. H s-2'69) U SLCIaims. l

This invention relates to :power fdriven. wringers, more particularly to power driven *wringers.

of the instinctive type in-which-a tug-"on the clothes-automatically discontinues w-ringer operation, such as might occur duringanemer.-

y, and it'has for its object .the provisionpf.

asimple, power driven .wringer of this type;

More particularly, this ;,invention contemplates an improved power driven. wringer having. a

wringer frame which supports the rolls and,

which will move in response to a predetermined tug on the clothes, andzme'ansoperated in .re-- sponse to the ,movementof thewringer frame for discontinuing; the power. drive for the wringer.

rolls.

In accordance with this invention the wringer;

frame which supports the rolls mounted for movement with respect to the drivin ;mecha-- nism for therolls; thermovement of the-frame isresisted by means which apply to the frame. atyielding force andw-hich give upon the. ap-- plication of a. forceof. predetermined. hig 'Slalue.

so as to allow the frame to n-love; This/mover ment. of the frame operates: a control element of. the driving-mechanismto cause the: power;tothe rolls" to discontinue:

For a morecomplete understandin of my in vention, reference should .be had-.to the..accom-; panying drawing whichFig. '1 is a-.front .ele-.

vation of a .w-ringer embodying;-my invention,;

parts being shown-win.sectionwand other partsbroken away so asito illustrate certain details of construction; Fig 2.11s an. elevation of certain.

elements .of the, control mechanism embodied in the wringer of Fig. 1. and arrangedinaccordancewith this invention; and Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 but illustrating.the -elements in. a different operative position.

Referring to the drawing,- this invention has been shownin one form as applied to apower driven wringer comprising. upper and lower wringer. rolls I and 2. These rolls are supported in parallel relation and horizontal position byshafts4 and ,75 which are journalled in bearings. provided for them in. the framev 3.

roll I is frictionally driven from the .lowerone.

The. frame 3 is supported .by meansof a, wringer head 6. Frame 3 is mounted on the .head 16 so that it may be rotated both. forwardly and.

backwardly with. respect to the head; and for this purpose theframe at. one end; its lefthand end in Fig. ,1, is provided with a pair of vertically spaced outwardlyextend'ed. ears .I and, 8 which. are secured to the ,head 6.. b means .of screw The. lower, wringer roll 2 isv power driven, while. the upper 2 studs -9 and it directed through coaxial apeli" tures ll and I2 positioned a vertical axis and provided in the ears for the studs so as-to journal theirame 3 to the 'righthand side of the he'ad'-;fi, as shown. The frame 3 normally does notimove. with respect to thehead 6, but is held in fixed relation with respect to the head by meanscf a pair ofvcompression springs l3;(only.-

M tchel crown' gear. Iii-journalled to awbearing;

It in the head 6. The: shaft 5 is provided with opposite parallel flattened sides 5- -11. which are received in a complementary opening. inthe coupling. The crown gear is provided with similar flattened sides l6a,- which are received in a The:

complementary section of the coupling; 7 dimensions of the flattened sides 5--a'and l6.a-a

andof the-complementary parts of the coupling, associated withthemare such that they permit the aforementioned relative movement between the frame tandwthehead 6 while maintaining;

the driving connection betweenv the crown gear and the lower wringer roll 2.

The crown gear l5 s is selectively driven in oppositedirections bypinions l1 and It constantly: meshin with thecrowngear and loose-on a vertical shaft l9.- Thisshaft is journalled at upper'end in a bearing 20 in the .top' wall of the wringer head and has a coupling member i l its lower endguidedin awtubular post 22 by means of which thewringer head is. rotatabl yv supported in. the upperendrof the wringerpost- (not. shown). of a domestic washin machine It will be understood that the wringer head is held in fixed angularrelationwith the wringer post (not-shown). bymea'ns of suitable releasabledetent mechanism (not shown in de'taiLjbut which includes a detent..23 controlled by alever 24')"- a driving. shaft (not shown) through the wring'er post and driven by anysuitable means. such as an electric motor (not shown) The direction .of rotation of the crdWfiQdi l5, and therefore, the direction of rotation of the Wrirlger rolls, is controlled-by? coupling one i The coupling}! isprovided with aslot 25' by means of which the shaft I9 is driven by,

t'lidifig 3 or the other of the pinions H and I8 to the shaft I9. This is effected by means of a shifting member 26 guided to move in a vertical direction in the wringer head 6 and having yokes 2'! and 28 received in annular grooves 29 and 30 respectively in gears I! and I8. Shifting means 26 slides vertically within the wringer head and is operated by means of a shaft 3| journalled in a bearing 32 in the wringer head in its side opposite the wringer rolls and on an axis coaxial with the axis of rotation of the crown gear l and the lower wringer roll 2. This shaft 3| is operated manually by handle 33 fixed to its outer end on the outside of the wringer head 6 as shown. On its inner end the shaft 3| carries an inwardly projected cylindrical pin 34 eccentrically related to the axis of rotation-ofshaft 3| and received in a close fitting circular hole provided for it in the shifting member 26. Thus, when the handle 33 is rotated, the eccentric pin will shift the member vertically. The handle is in a neutral position corresponding to an inoperative condition of the wringer rolls when it is straight down as shown in Fig. l, and in solid lines in Fig. 2, and in this position the clutch teeth 35 and 36 of the two pinions l1 and I8 are clear of their respective driving pins 31 and 38 fixed on the shaft l9. By moving handle 33 in opposite directions through an angle of about degrees from the neutral position, the handle will swing the eccentric pin 34 to shift the shifting member 25 up and down to effect a driving connection between clutch teeth 33 and its pins 38, or clutch teeth and its pins 3'! to drive the crown gear l5 and hence the wringer roll 2 in one direction or the other.

The elements just described are so arranged that if the handle 33 is moved to the right to the dot-dash line position shown in Fig. 2, the roll 2 will operate in a counterclockwise direction as viewed from the right of Fig. 1; whereas if it be moved from the neutral to the full line position of Fig. 3, it will operate the roll 2 clockwise viewed from the same position.

Preferably the shaft 3| is provided with a pair of indexballs 39 which are selectively received in any one of three pairs of complementary index sockets 40 located so as to hold resiliently the handle 33 in each of its three operative positions;

only the center sockets 40 corresponding to the neutral position are shown.

The means arranged in accordance with this invention for shifting automatically the handle 33 to its neutral position from either driving position thereby to discontinue the driving connection from the shaft l9 to the lower wringer roll 2 comprises a cam 4| in the form of a cylindrical pin fixed to the frame 3 through the medium of a cover plate 42 fixed to the frame 3 and which locates the cam pin above the handle 33, as shown; that is, at a position on the opposite side of the vertical axes through the studs 9 and ID from the wringer rolls; a cam plate 43 pivoted to the .wringer head 6 by means of a pin 44 located below the path of movement of cam 4| in parallel relation to shaft 3| and in the vertical plane containing this shaft, and the plate 43 having upright lateral abutments 45 and 46, inclined away from each other as shown and further, a cam structure 41 in which symmetrical branch slots extend arcuately in opposite directions from a central notch 41, each said branch having a rise or lobe, respectively 41b, 41c, intermediate its ends; a driving link 48 secured to the handle 33 and'shaft to rotate with them and arranged at 4 right angles to the handle; a pair of drag links 49 and 50 pivotally connecting the ends of the drive link 48 with the ends of the cam plate as shown; and a toggle comprising a toggle spring 5| having its lower end anchored to a pin 52 fixed to the wringer head and its upper end anchored to trolley 53 which has a pin 54 sliding in the curved cam slot. Spring 5| forces pin 54 to ride on the lower surface of the cam slot.

The horizontal distances from the vertical plane passing through the axes of shaft 3| and pin 44 to the pivotal connection points between the drag links 43 and 50 and the cam plate 43 and the pivotal connection points between these links and the drive link 48 are equal, and the drag links 49 and 50 are of equal length; and therefore, the cam plate, drive link and drag links form a parallelogram which causes the cam plate 43 always to assume th same angle as does the drive link 48. Moreover, the parts are so arranged that when the handle 33 is in its neutral positionthe toggle pin 54 is located in the notchlows the handle movement, and as a result, the

pin 54 moves out of notch 41a, rides over a dead center position created by one of the lobes 4'") or 470 of the respective cam branch along which the pin happens to be moving and therefore assists in moving the handle to its operative position with a slight snap action and holds it there-also again assisted by the index balls 39. Fig. 3 shows the cam and toggle mechanism in a driving position.

Furthermore, the parts areso arranged that when the cam plate 43 is in either driving position of the handle 33, the cam pin 4| lies against one or the other of the inclined walls 45, 46 as shown in Figs. 2 and 3.

Should the wringer be in operation as the result of movement of the handle 33 to its dot-dash position of Fig. 2, and the clothes being fed toward the notch 41a and eventually moves over the dead center'position in the reverse direction and drops into said notch, thereby automatically returning the handle 33 to the neutral position. Conversely, should the wringer rolls be operated in the reverse direction as a result of movement of the control handle 33 to its position shown in Fig. 3 and the clothes be moved through the rolls in the opposite direction, then if they are pulled out by a force great enough to pivot the frame 3 it'will move clockwise looking down upon it and hence move the cam pin 4| to the left as viewed in Fig. 3. And as before, this movement of the pin will pivot the cam plate 43 automatically to return the control handle '33 to its neutral posi tion where it is held by the toggle spring'fil.

While I have shown and described a particular embodiment of my invention, it will occur to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made without departing from invention, :and- 1- therefore. aim in athetane; pended claims .to cover all such changesxand modifications as. fallwithin the true spirit and scope of my invention.

What I claim :as 'new-and desire to secure by Let er zPa-ten of the :tlmiitdr t tesie 1. In a wringer, a frame, wringer rolls mgungte ed wit i said. frame, dri i g m cha o said rolls, a control handle for effecting operation ofthe driving mechanism to rotate said rolls by movement of the handle f rom a. neutral to-a controllingposition, means pivotally. supporting said frame for rotation with respect to said driving mechanism and control handle, yielding means normally holding said frame in a normally operative position, a toggle spring element, connection means interconnecting said spring element with said control handle to form a toggle between them which holds said handle either in said neutral or in said controlling position depending upon the position of said handle, and shiftable through a dead center position as said handle is moved in either direction between said neutral and controlling positions, and a member movable by said frame as it rotates from said normal operative position against the force of said yielding means for operating said toggle through dead center position to return said handle from said controlling to said neutral position.

2. A clothes wringer comprising wringer rolls, a frame rotatably supporting said rolls, driving mechanism for driving said rolls including a pivoted control handle associated with said mechanism so that when said handle is in a neutral position said mechanism is inactive to drive said rolls and when rotated to two controlling positions on opposite sides Of said neutral position controls said mechanism to drive said rolls in forward and reverse directions depending upon the position to which it is moved, a pivoted cam plate adjacent said handle, links interconnecting said cam plate and handle to form a link parallelogram in which the cam plate moves concurrently with said handle, a toggle spring connected to said parallelogram in order to hold said handle in said neutral and two controlling positions, means supporting said wringer roll frame for movement in either direction from a normal operative position, yielding means holding said frame in said normal operative position, and a cam member operated by said frame in moving from said normal operative position engaging and operating said cam plate to shift said parallelogram and thereby the connected handle from either of said two controlling positions to the neutral position.

3. In a wringer, a wringer frame, wringer rolls mounted in said frame, drive mechanism for driving said rolls, control mechanism for said drive mechanism comprising four link elements pivoted together to form a parallelogram, said control mechanism being operable to drive said rolls in opposite directions when one of said elements is moved to either of two control positions on opposite sides of a neutral position and to discontinue operation of the rolls when said one element is returned to said neutral position, a curved cam surface formed "in a selected one of said link elements having a notch and two depressed ends between which are a pair of lobes, a follower riding on the cam surface, a spring biasing said follower against said cam surface and biasing said selected element and parallelogram of which it is a part to move said one element into any one of its neutral or controlling said sonezcl m ntnto ritsuneutrall p t on against ollower; means. supp n a d wri rv fr m er/ movement from a,.norma1;;ope ativep s on witharesnect to said pa allelo ram, i in means notmeliyholdinelsaid :fr.a;rx1 ;in.-.sa d n mi nod-,-

tion; and a member carried by said fram to: eneaeinezsaid selected element ofsaid parallelor iny-to .shi-ftizsaid; parallelogram and thereforev thetforceof aidz pr ng as saidframe :move zfrflm i sinormalz position, thereby to. discontinue; h operation of said rolls.

4. In a wringer, a wringer frame, wringer rolls mounted in said frame, drive mechanism for driving said rolls, control mechanism for said drive mechanism comprising four links pivoted together to form a parallelogram, said control mechanism being operable to drive said rolls in opposite directions when one of said links is moved to either of two control positions on opposite sides of a neutral position and to discontinue operation of the rolls when said one link is returned to said neutral position, the link of said parallelogram positioned opposite said one link constituting a cam link and having a curved cam surface which has a notch and two depressed ends between which are a pair of lobes, a follower riding on said cam surface, a spring biasing said follower against said surface and biasing said cam link and parallelogram of which it is a part to move said one link to any one of said neutral or controlling positions depending on the position of said cam link, said lobes constituting dead-center points in the movement of said follower, means supporting said wringer frame for movement from a normal operating position with respect to said parallelogram, a biasing means holding said frame in said normal position, and a cam carried by said frame for engaging said cam link to shift said parallelogram and said one link so that said one link is shifted to its neutral position first against and then with the force of said spring as said frame moves from said normal position thereby to discontinue the operation 01' said rolls.

5. In a wringer, a wringer head, a wringer frame pivoted to said head, wringer rolls mounted in said frame, biasing means between said head and frame biasing said frame to a normal operative position, driving mechanism on said head for driving said rolls, and control means for said driving mechanism comprising a pair of vertically spaced parallel links of substantially equal length pivoted at their centers in a common vertical line and one constituting a cam element and having an elongated curved cam surface having a central downwardly extending notch and downwardly extending ends with lobes therebetween and the other constituting a control element, the latter when moved selectively to two controlling positions effecting operation of said rolls in forward and reverse directions and when moved to a neutral position substantially midway between the other two positions effecting discontinuance of the operation of said rolls, a pair of links of equal length pivotally connecting the ends of said first two mentioned links, the four links constituting a parallelogram, a follower riding on said cam surface, a spring having one end anchored at a point between said first two links and its other end anchored to said follower so as to bias it against said cam surface, the notch in said surface and assures i its two ends corresponding to the neutral and the two controlling positions of said control link and said follower when in said notch or in either of said two ends holding said parallelogram in the corresponding position, and the two lobes between said two ends and notch constituting over- 5 center points for said follower, said cam element further having a pair of spaced lateral abutments, and a cam on said frame movable with it when it movesfrom said normal operating position to engage with one or the other of saidabutments depending upon the position of said control element thereby -to shift said cam element and connected control element to move the latter td'said neutral position to discontinue roll operation.-

SAMUEL I. GABRIELSON.-:

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent: I

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

